Local News

SANTA FE (AP) — Several former lawmakers, including one who switched political parties, filed for election Tuesday seeking to reclaim their seats in the Legislature.
Two former state senators from Albuquerque — Shannon Robinson and H. Diane Snyder — set up rematches of their unsuccessful 2008 races.
Robinson switched parties and filed as a Republican against Democratic Sen. Tim Keller, who defeated him in a primary election four years ago. Robinson, a lawyer, had served in the Senate since 1989.
“Everybody loves a rematch,” Robinson said in an interview.
He attributes his loss to Keller because of opposition from progressive Democrats.

MALJAMAR, N.M. (AP) — President Barack Obamatraveled to the outskirts of a no-stop light town in solid Republican territory Wednesday evening to promote his administration's commitment to expanded oil and gas production.

Mick Matuszak accepts a proclamation from Councilor Geoff Rodgers naming March “Athletic Training Month” on behalf of Los Alamos Public Schools Athletics department. The proclamation recognizes athletic trainers for providing quality healthcare to athletes, their role in preventing, recognizing, evaluating and aggressively treating athletic injuries and for providing rehabilitative services and education. “I think I’ll take this to my parents, because I’ve been certified next month for 20 years in this profession and they still don’t have a really good grasp of what I do for employment,” Matuszak said.

The fifth and sixth graders at Barranca Elementary will hold a fundraiser garage sale for Briana Engleman from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Pueblo Complex Gym.

School board

The Los Alamos Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday at Piñon Elementary, followed by a work session at 5:30 p.m.

March on Hunger

Assets In Action is collecting food for the March on Hunger for local food banks. Those wishing to make donations can leave them at either senior center location, KRSN AM 1490, the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce or Chamisa Elementary now through the end of the month.

After nearly three years of review by the Charter Review Committee, proposed amendments on sections of the county charter are another step closer to coming before the voters for ratification.
Council debated proposed changes to the Initiative, Referendum and Recall sections of the charter, as well as a proposed addition allowing voter approval of capital projects and the procedures for amending the charter.
Not all the proposed changes received council approval.

After an eight-month bankruptcy battle, the Central Avenue Grill may close its doors as soon as April 7.

That’s according to the building landlord’s attorney Rick Leverick, who said he’s been in contact with Min Sung Park and Monica Park’s attorney, George Moore.

“I don’t think (Mr. Park’s) got much choice,” Leverick said.

He said that the Parks don’t have any businesses left to reorganize under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and that leads him to assume they would likely be converting the filing to Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

MALJAMAR, N.M. (AP) — President Barack Obama plans to visit New Mexico's petroleum fields on federal lands outside of Maljamar Wednesday to tout the fact that domestic oil and gas production has increased each year he has been in office.

The White House said in a news release that the stop will "highlight the Administration's commitment to expanding domestic oil and gas production." Oil production is at an eight-year high and natural gas output is at an all-time high, it said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sided with an Idaho couple in a property rights case, ruling they can go to court to challenge an Environmental Protection Agency order that blocked construction of their new home and threatened fines of more than $30,000 a day.

Wednesday's decision is a victory for Mike and Chantell Sackett, whose property near a scenic lake has sat undisturbed since the EPA ordered a halt in work in 2007. The agency said part of the property was a wetlands that could not disturbed without a permit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney says he's "almost there" after pursuing the Republican presidential nomination for six years, and there are fresh signs that big GOP donors and establishment figures agree. Major contributors are shifting more dollars in his direction, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush served up his endorsement on Wednesday after sitting on the sidelines for much of the primary season.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (AP) — Front-runner Mitt Romney sailed to an easy victory in the Illinois primary Tuesday night, trumping Rick Santorum in yet another industrial state showdown and padding his already-formidable delegate lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.